Sumit Nagal, Yuki Bhambri headline India's Davis Cup 2026 squad for South Korea qualifiers clash
New Delhi, August 10
Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri have been named in the Indian tennis squad for next month's second-round Davis Cup 2026 Qualifiers tie against South Korea, according to Olympics.com.
The tie will be played on the hard courts at the Olympic Tennis Centre in Seoul on September 18 and 19, with the winner progressing to the Final 8 stage, scheduled to be held in Bologna, Italy, in November.
Notably, Sumit Nagal and Yuki Bhambri are India's top-ranked singles and doubles players respectively.
Nagal, ranked No. 235, will spearhead India's singles challenge alongside Dhakshineswar Suresh and Manas Dhamne. Suresh is ranked 393rd, while Dhamne, India's No. 2, is ranked 362nd and has earned his maiden Davis Cup call-up, according to Olympics.com.
Bhambri, ranked 28th in doubles, is expected to partner N Sriram Balaji, who occupies the 57th spot in the rankings.
India have retained the core of the squad that secured a 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in Bengaluru in the opening round of the 2026 Davis Cup Qualifiers.
Suresh played a key role in that triumph, contributing to all three of India's victories. He defeated world No. 88 Jasper de Jong in the second singles rubber on the opening day before teaming up with Bhambri to win the doubles rubber. Suresh then overcame Guy Den Ouden in the decisive fifth rubber to seal India's place in the second round, according to Olympics.com.
Siddharth Rawat has been named as the reserve player, while Arnab Paparkar has been included as an additional reserve following his recent performances.
The Seoul tie will be India's first appearance in the second round of the Davis Cup Qualifiers since the current format was introduced in 2019. India will also be aiming to reach the Final 8 for the first time under the current format.
South Korea reached the 16-team Davis Cup Finals in 2022 and 2023. India, meanwhile, have finished runners-up in the Davis Cup on three occasions -- in 1966, 1974 and 1987 -- under previous formats.
India's Davis Cup 2026 team vs South Korea:
Sumit Nagal, Manas Dhamne, Dhakshineswar Suresh, Yuki Bhambri, N Sriram Balaji. Reserve: Siddharth Rawat; Additional reserve: Arnab Paparkar.
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of Dhakshineswar Suresh! Beating a top-100 player and then winning the decider against Netherlands... that's champion stuff. Hopefully he carries that form to Seoul. And Manas Dhamne getting his maiden call-up is exciting - young blood is exactly what Indian tennis needs!
Realistically speaking, our singles rankings are nothing to write home about. Nagal at 235, Dhamne at 362... The AITA needs to invest in young players and get them more ATP Challenger opportunities. Relying on doubles points to win ties won't work every time. Just saying what many Indian tennis fans think.
The team spirit in this squad feels different! That Netherlands win in Bengaluru was pure magic. I was there in the stadium and the energy was unreal. Now they get to play on Seoul's hard courts - different conditions, but our boys have shown they can fight. All the best to the whole team! 🙌
Interesting that they've kept the same core squad. Consistency matters in Davis Cup. But I'm curious why Siddharth Rawat is only a reserve - he's been playing decently on the circuit. Anyway, I trust the selectors' call. This is our best chance to reach the Final 8! Let's go India!
South Korea at home will be tough - they've made the Davis Cup Finals twice recently. But remember, we beat Netherlands who were higher ranked. If Suresh can repeat his heroics and Nagal plays to his potential on hard courts, we have a real shot. This could be India's year to break into the Final 8 for the first time!
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